Vape Industry Statistics at a Glance
The vape industry is moving on two tracks at once: tighter enforcement on one side and continued consumer demand on the other.
The statistics below show that tension clearly, from FDA authorizations and seizures to youth-use trends, flavor patterns, and the changing brand mix in the United States and beyond.
Contents
- What the latest vape industry statistics show
- Regulation and enforcement
- Youth use and flavor trends
- Adult use and market demand
- Brand and product mix
- Global and corporate signals
- What these numbers mean together
What the latest vape industry statistics show
The strongest pattern in the data is not a single direction of travel.
On one hand, federal agencies report continued enforcement against unauthorized products, including large seizures and warning-letter activity. On the other hand, consumer usage remains substantial, especially among adults, while youth use has fallen from recent peaks but still remains a concern. The result is an industry that is still commercially active, but increasingly shaped by compliance, product authorization, and flavor restrictions.
A few statistics set the frame quickly:
- FDA says there are 45 e-cigarettes authorized for lawful sale in the United States (FDA E-Cigarettes Authorized by the FDA).
- FDA says those 45 authorized e-cigarettes are the only e-cigarettes that may be lawfully sold in the U.S. (FDA E-Cigarettes, Vapes, and other ENDS Authorized by the FDA).
- FDA and CBP seized nearly 2 million units of unauthorized e-cigarettes in Chicago in a 2025 joint operation (FDA and CBP Seize Nearly $34 Million Worth of Illegal E-Cigarettes During Joint Operation).
- The 2025 seizure had an estimated retail value of $33.8 million (FDA and CBP Seize Nearly $34 Million Worth of Illegal E-Cigarettes During Joint Operation).
- FDA says more than 1.63 million U.S. youth reported current use of e-cigarettes in 2024 (FDA Consumer Update Help the FDA Prevent Sale of Tobacco Products to Young People).
- In 2023, 4.5% of U.S. adults aged 18 and over used e-cigarettes, up from 3.7% in 2020 (CDC E-Cigarette Use Among Adults).
That combination of enforcement, youth decline, and persistent adult use is the central story in the current vape market.
Regulation and enforcement
The regulatory side of the market is increasingly defined by what is authorized, what is not, and how aggressively agencies are acting against unauthorized inventory.
FDA says there are 45 e-cigarettes authorized for lawful sale in the United States (FDA E-Cigarettes Authorized by the FDA). FDA also says those 45 authorized e-cigarettes are the only e-cigarettes that may be lawfully sold in the U.S. (FDA E-Cigarettes, Vapes, and other ENDS Authorized by the FDA). That makes the authorization list itself a practical market filter, not just a regulatory reference.
Enforcement numbers show that the issue is not abstract:
- FDA and CBP seized nearly 2 million units of unauthorized e-cigarettes in Chicago in a 2025 joint operation (FDA and CBP Seize Nearly $34 Million Worth of Illegal E-Cigarettes During Joint Operation).
- The same 2025 seizure had an estimated retail value of $33.8 million (FDA and CBP Seize Nearly $34 Million Worth of Illegal E-Cigarettes During Joint Operation).
- FDA and DOJ seized more than $700,000 worth of unauthorized e-cigarettes in a separate enforcement action (FDA, DOJ Seize Over $700,000 Worth of Unauthorized E-Cigarettes).
- As of April 2024, FDA had issued approximately 670 warning letters to firms for manufacturing or distributing illegal e-cigarette products (FDA, DOJ Seize Over $700,000 Worth of Unauthorized E-Cigarettes).
- As of April 2024, FDA had issued more than 550 warning letters to retailers for the sale of unauthorized e-cigarettes (FDA, DOJ Seize Over $700,000 Worth of Unauthorized E-Cigarettes).
Those figures matter because they show enforcement spanning the supply chain. It is not just about manufacturers. It also reaches retailers and distribution points.
Authorized products and flavor policy
A key development in the data is the June 21, 2024 authorization of four menthol-flavored e-cigarette products (FDA Authorizes Marketing of Four Menthol-Flavored E-Cigarette Products After Extensive Scientific Review).
Those products were:
- NJOY ACE Pod Menthol 2.4% (FDA Authorizes Marketing of Four Menthol-Flavored E-Cigarette Products After Extensive Scientific Review)
- NJOY ACE Pod Menthol 5% (FDA Authorizes Marketing of Four Menthol-Flavored E-Cigarette Products After Extensive Scientific Review)
- NJOY DAILY Menthol 4.5% (FDA Authorizes Marketing of Four Menthol-Flavored E-Cigarette Products After Extensive Scientific Review)
- NJOY DAILY EXTRA Menthol 6% (FDA Authorizes Marketing of Four Menthol-Flavored E-Cigarette Products After Extensive Scientific Review)
FDA said those June 2024 authorizations were the first non-tobacco flavored e-cigarette products authorized by FDA (FDA Authorizes Marketing of Four Menthol-Flavored E-Cigarette Products After Extensive Scientific Review). That makes the decision notable not just for the products themselves, but for the precedent it represents in the broader market.
Youth use and flavor trends
Youth data is where the industry’s public-health pressure is most visible.
In 2024, current e-cigarette use among U.S. middle and high school students fell to 1.63 million (CDC MMWR Notes from the Field 2024). That represented 5.9% of U.S. middle and high school students in 2024 (CDC MMWR Notes from the Field 2024). In 2023, 2.13 million U.S. middle and high school students reported current e-cigarette use (CDC MMWR Tobacco Product Use Among Middle and High School Students 2024), which was 7.7% of students (CDC MMWR Tobacco Product Use Among Middle and High School Students 2024).
The direction is down, but the remaining level is still high enough to keep youth use a major policy issue.
A compact comparison shows the recent move clearly:
| Measure | 2023 | 2024 | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. middle and high school students reporting current e-cigarette use | 2.13 million | 1.63 million | CDC MMWR Tobacco Product Use Among Middle and High School Students 2024; CDC MMWR Notes from the Field 2024 |
| Youth e-cigarette prevalence | 7.7% | 5.9% | CDC MMWR Tobacco Product Use Among Middle and High School Students 2024; CDC MMWR Notes from the Field 2024 |
| High-school current tobacco-product use | 12.6% | 10.1% | CDC MMWR Tobacco Product Use Among Middle and High School Students 2024 |
| High-school e-cigarette use | 10.0% | 7.8% | CDC MMWR Tobacco Product Use Among Middle and High School Students 2024 |
The flavor data helps explain why this area remains sensitive.
In 2024, 88.2% of high school students who used e-cigarettes reported using a flavored e-cigarette in the past 30 days (CDC Youth and Tobacco Use). Among middle school students who used e-cigarettes, 85.7% reported using a flavored e-cigarette in the past 30 days (CDC Youth and Tobacco Use).
The same pattern appears in nicotine-pouch use among youth. In 2024, 85.6% of youth nicotine-pouch users reported flavored products (CDC Newsroom Youth E-Cigarette Use Drops to Lowest Level in a Decade). Among those users, mint was used by 53.3% (CDC Newsroom Youth E-Cigarette Use Drops to Lowest Level in a Decade), fruit by 22.4% (CDC Newsroom Youth E-Cigarette Use Drops to Lowest Level in a Decade), and menthol by 19.3% (CDC Newsroom Youth E-Cigarette Use Drops to Lowest Level in a Decade).
The 2023 youth data shows the same flavor-heavy environment from a different angle. In 2023, 89.4% of current youth e-cigarette users reported using a flavored product (CDC MMWR 2023 Youth Tobacco Use). Among current youth e-cigarette users in 2022, Puff Bar was the usual brand for 14.5% (CDC MMWR 2022 Youth E-Cigarette Use), Vuse for 12.5% (CDC MMWR 2022 Youth E-Cigarette Use), Hyde for 5.5% (CDC MMWR 2022 Youth E-Cigarette Use), and SMOK for 4.0% (CDC MMWR 2022 Youth E-Cigarette Use).
The flavored-pod data from 2022 adds another layer:
- Fruit was used by 58.4% of current users of flavored pods or cartridges (CDC MMWR 2022 Youth E-Cigarette Use).
- Menthol was used by 53.9% (CDC MMWR 2022 Youth E-Cigarette Use).
- Candy, dessert, or other sweets were used by 30.3% (CDC MMWR 2022 Youth E-Cigarette Use).
- Mint was used by 27.6% (CDC MMWR 2022 Youth E-Cigarette Use).
These flavor numbers are important because they consistently show that youth usage is not just about device access. Product character, especially flavor, is part of the adoption pattern.
Adult use and market demand
Adult use is much lower than youth concern narratives sometimes imply, but it is still material.
In 2021, 4.5% of U.S. adults aged 18 and over were current e-cigarette users (CDC Data Brief 475). Among adults aged 18 to 24, the rate was 11.0% (CDC Data Brief 475). In 2023, 4.5% of adults aged 18 and over used e-cigarettes, up from 3.7% in 2020 (CDC Data Brief 524 and CDC E-Cigarette Use Among Adults).
Age differences are large:
- Adults aged 21 to 24 had the highest adult e-cigarette-use rate at 15.5% in 2023 (CDC Data Brief 524).
- Adults aged 18 to 20 had an e-cigarette-use rate of 10.3% in 2023 (CDC Data Brief 524).
- Adults aged 25 to 34 had an e-cigarette-use rate of 12.6% in 2023 (CDC Data Brief 524).
- Adults aged 35 to 49 had an e-cigarette-use rate of 7.3% in 2023 (CDC Data Brief 524).
- Adults aged 50 to 64 had an e-cigarette-use rate of 3.3% in 2023 (CDC Data Brief 524).
- Adults aged 65 and over had an e-cigarette-use rate of 0.9% in 2023 (CDC Data Brief 524).
A compact view of the age spread makes the pattern easier to read:
| Adult age group | 2023 e-cigarette use | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 18 to 20 | 10.3% | CDC Data Brief 524 |
| 21 to 24 | 15.5% | CDC Data Brief 524 |
| 25 to 34 | 12.6% | CDC Data Brief 524 |
| 35 to 49 | 7.3% | CDC Data Brief 524 |
| 50 to 64 | 3.3% | CDC Data Brief 524 |
| 65 and over | 0.9% | CDC Data Brief 524 |
The adult market also shows a relationship with other nicotine use. In 2021, 29.4% of adult e-cigarette users also smoked cigarettes (CDC E-Cigarette Use Among Adults). That overlap suggests e-cigarettes remain part of a broader nicotine-use spectrum rather than an isolated category.
FDA’s consumer update also says more than 2.25 million U.S. youth reported current use of any tobacco product in 2024 (FDA Consumer Update Help the FDA Prevent Sale of Tobacco Products to Young People). It also says more than 1.63 million U.S. youth reported current use of e-cigarettes in 2024 (FDA Consumer Update Help the FDA Prevent Sale of Tobacco Products to Young People). Those two figures help place vaping inside the wider youth tobacco picture.
Brand and product mix
The industry is not static at the product level. The brand mix changes quickly, and the category mix shifts as well.
Between February 2020 and June 2024, the share of disposable e-cigarettes sold more than doubled from 26.0% to 58.1% (CDC About E-Cigarettes). That is one of the clearest signs of product-format transition in the market.
Sales rankings also changed meaningfully across time:
- From April to June 2024, the 10 top-selling e-cigarette brands by dollar sales were Vuse, JUUL, Geek Bar Pulse, Breeze Smoke, NJOY, RAZ, HQD, Loon Maxx, Breeze Prime, and Juicy Bar (CDC About E-Cigarettes).
- In December 2022, the five top-selling e-cigarette brands were Vuse, JUUL, Elf Bar, NJOY, and Breeze Smoke (CDC Online Newsroom U.S. E-cigarette Sales Climbed during 2020-2022).
That brand list matters because it shows how quickly some names rise into the top tier while others remain durable.
Sales volume data also points to sustained category activity. During January 2020 to December 2022, e-cigarette unit sales increased by 46.6% (CDC MMWR E-cigarette Unit Sales by Product and Flavor Type, and Top-Selling Brands, United States, 2020-2022). At the same time, tobacco-flavor sales fell from 28.4% to 20.5% of unit sales (CDC MMWR E-cigarette Unit Sales by Product and Flavor Type, and Top-Selling Brands, United States, 2020-2022), mint-flavor sales fell from 10.1% to 5.6% (CDC MMWR E-cigarette Unit Sales by Product and Flavor Type, and Top-Selling Brands, United States, 2020-2022), and other-flavor sales rose from 29.2% to 40.8% (CDC MMWR E-cigarette Unit Sales by Product and Flavor Type, and Top-Selling Brands, United States, 2020-2022).
That mix shift reinforces the point seen in youth data: flavor is a structural part of the category, not a side detail.
Global and corporate signals
The consumer and regulatory data are echoed by company results and global health reporting.
BAT said its Smokeless brands had 29.1 million consumers as of December 30, 2024 (BAT Building brands). BAT also said Smokeless products accounted for 17.5% of Group revenue as of December 30, 2024 (BAT Building brands). In 2024, BAT added 3.6 million consumers of Smokeless brands (BAT Preliminary results for the year ended 31 December 2024).
Within that mix, Vuse remains central. BAT said Vuse vapour volume was 616 million units in 2024 (BAT FY 2024 Announcement), and that volume fell 5.9% year over year (BAT FY 2024 Announcement). BAT also said Vuse revenue was Ł1,765 million in 2024 (BAT FY 2024 Announcement), down 2.6% year over year (BAT FY 2024 Announcement) and down 2.5% at constant currency (BAT FY 2024 Announcement).
The broader New Categories segment still grew. BAT said New Categories revenue was Ł3,551 million in 2024 (BAT FY 2024 Announcement) and that it grew 6.1% in 2024 (BAT Combined Performance and Sustainability Summary 2024). BAT also said its vapour business was the largest contributor inside New Categories, with 616 million units in 2024 (BAT FY 2024 Announcement). Earlier, in 2023, BAT said Vuse revenue increased 26.2% to Ł1,812 million (BAT Preliminary results for the year ended 31 December 2023), and vapour volume was 654 million 10ml units/pods (BAT Preliminary results for the year ended 31 December 2023).
Altria’s NJOY data shows a different but related pattern. Altria said NJOY consumables shipment volume rose 15.3% year over year to 12.8 million units in 2024 (Altria 2024 Full-Year Results). It also said NJOY retail share of consumables in the U.S. multi-outlet and convenience channel reached 6.4% in 2024 (Altria 2024 Full-Year Results), up 2.8 share points versus the prior year (Altria 2024 Full-Year Results). Earlier in 2024, Altria said NJOY retail share was 4.3% in Q1 2024 (Altria Reports 2024 First-Quarter Results) and had increased by 0.6 share points sequentially in that quarter (Altria Reports 2024 First-Quarter Results).
PMI’s numbers frame the heat-not-burn side of the market. PMI said the smoke-free business accounted for approximately 39% of total full-year 2024 net revenues (PMI 2024 Full-Year Results). PMI also said heated tobacco unit shipment volume rose from 7 billion in 2016 to 140 billion in 2024 (PMI Committed to the decline of cigarettes). In Q4 2024, PMI said heat-not-burn accounted for over 75% of global category volumes (PMI 2024 Full-Year Results).
At the global public-health level, WHO said more than 100 million people worldwide now vape (WHO tobacco trends report: 1 in 5 adults still addicted to tobacco). WHO also said adult e-cigarette prevalence in the European Region was 4.6%, more than double the global average (WHO European Region report, 2025). WHO estimated the number of adult e-cigarette users in the European Region at 31.4 million (WHO European Region adult prevalence report).
WHO also said the World Health Organization Region Europe had 11.6% of young people aged 13 to 15 using some form of tobacco (WHO Europe 2025 report). In the same evidence stream, WHO said 16,000 attractive flavours are used to target children through social media and influencers (WHO E-cigarettes Q&A), and that e-cigarette use increases conventional cigarette uptake among non-smoking youth by nearly 3 times (WHO E-cigarettes Q&A).
What these numbers mean together
The core takeaway is that the vape industry is not defined by a single trend line.
It is defined by simultaneous pressure and demand:
- Regulation is tightening through authorizations, warning letters, and seizures (FDA E-Cigarettes Authorized by the FDA; FDA, DOJ Seize Over $700,000 Worth of Unauthorized E-Cigarettes).
- Youth use has declined from 2023 to 2024, but flavored products still dominate among youth users (CDC MMWR Notes from the Field 2024; CDC Youth and Tobacco Use).
- Adult use remains substantial, especially among younger adults (CDC Data Brief 524).
- Disposable products and flavor-driven demand reshaped sales patterns between 2020 and 2024 (CDC About E-Cigarettes; CDC MMWR E-cigarette Unit Sales by Product and Flavor Type, and Top-Selling Brands, United States, 2020-2022).
- Company results show the same category tension: growth in smokeless businesses alongside volatility inside vapour lines (BAT FY 2024 Announcement; Altria 2024 Full-Year Results; PMI 2024 Full-Year Results).
Taken together, the statistics show an industry that is still large, still changing quickly, and still under active regulatory scrutiny.